Island of escape (21 page)

In a very short time she was on her way, but the drive took longer than she had expected and the last part of it

was decidedly rough. Then when the great sheet of water appeared, there was not a sign of Martin or of any other human being. Ellis sat in the car and realised how rashly and foolishly she had acted. Martin must have moved on to somewhere else. She shouldn't have wasted time coming to look for him, and now she'd have to do what she should have done in the first place —drive to Warrianda for her things and then go to the airport. After all, Steve couldn't stop her. She was being melodramtic.

Instead of going back through Whitemark, she decided to cut across the island, even though she had no map, but eventually it took her longer that way because she was soon hopelessly lost. It wasn't till she recognised Mount Killiecrankie that she knew where she was, and finally she reached Warrianda just in time to see another car disappearing along the white road—a taxi, she realised later, but at the time all she knew was that it was not Steve's car.

His car was not in the driveway either, she found a moment later as she drove up to the house, and though she told herself she was in luck, a deeper part of her being was desolated. Not even to be able to say goodbye— Yet it was safer that way. She parked the hire car under a red flowering gum, and for the first time realised she couldn't catch the plane after all. It was well after lunch time, and she was desperately hungry. She'd had a very light breakfast and she hadn't brought even as much as a bar of chocolate with her. She went quickly into the house, wondering nervously if she'd get herself something to eat in the kitchen before she went up to pack. Then, just inside the front door, she stopped short, her heart pounding.

Jan Webster had come out of the sitting room and she stood and stared at Ellis, her beautiful black-lashed

grey eyes flaring into anger.

`Where's Steve?' she snapped out, looking over Ellis's shoulder.

Ellis swallowed, her throat dry. She moved her hands in a vague gesture implying she didn't know, and Jan's glance moved sharply and disparagingly over her.

`What on earth have you been doing to yourself?' she demanded. 'Where did you get those clothes—and that watch—' With a few quick steps she came closer and seized Ellis by the wrist, staring unbelievingly at the little jewelled watch Jake had given her. Then without warning she raised her hand and slapped Ellis's cheek with one stingingly swift blow. 'You —you sneaky little beast—chasing after Steve behind my back! What's going on? What's happened between you and him? And where is everyone? Where's Leanne? Where's Charlie?'

Ellis was still reeling from that blow, and she could hardly follow the questions that followed each other like rifle shots. For the first time in her life she saw real hatred looking back at her from someone's eyes, and she stared back at Jan as if she had been struck dumb.

Her silence seemed to make Jan angrier than ever, but this time she didn't slap her. She darted up the Stairs.

`I'm going to see for myself just where you've been sleeping!' Ellis heard her hiss.

Ellis leaned against the wall for a few seconds, breathing deeply, then with an effort she too went up the stairs and was just in time to receive an armful of her own clothes in her face as Jan hurled them through the door.

`You and your housekeeping!' Jan shouted furiously. `Where did you get all these expensive things, I'd like

to know? From Steve, of course—didn't you?' Her voice rose as she rushed back into the bedroom, and Ellis stood in the doorway watching as in a frenzy she began dragging the clothes from the wardrobe and flinging them around the room.

J
an, don't,' Ellis begged, hating to see her lovely things so mistreated. `It—it was true what I told you in my letter. I—I came here to cook for the shearers—to keep house—'

`As if I'd ever believe such lies ! ' Jan exclaimed. She threw a pair of shoes across the room. 'You never had clothes like this when you were in East Ivanhoe looking after Father. Don't tell me your creepy little stories about working here—I can imagine for myself what you're getting paid for and I know exactly why you came. Well, he won't marry you—don't fool yourself about that! He wants me, do you understand? And now I've decided to let him have his way over a little difference of opinion we had, he won't want you hanging around
anymore
. You'd better pack up your clothes and get out now ... I'd like to know how you tricked Martin into keeping quiet about your being here ! '

Watching her cousin, listening to her angry ranting, Ellis found she had lost her fear and was becoming deadly calm. She caught sight of her own reflection in the mirror—her face chalk white, except for one red spot on either cheek, and those dark shadows under her eyes.

J
an,' she said quietly, 'if you'll listen I'll tell you—I'll explain

`I don't want to hear,' Jan snapped. She had asked all those questions, but now she didn't want to hear. 'It wouldn't be the truth—I wouldn't trust you this much,' sh
e added, snapping her fingers. B
ut believe me, Ellis,

when I see Steve I'm going to tell him a few things about you that will upset your rosy apple cart.'

Ellis's eyes widened. 'What—what things?'

`About your affair with Paul—your passionate affair,' Jan snapped, her eyes sparkling with malice.

Ellis gasped. 'It—it wasn't passionate ! '

`Oh, but it was,' Jan insisted. 'I heard all about it direct from him You asked me in your letter to remember you to Paul, so I did—and that's when I heard all about how you were throwing yourself into his arms every opportunity you got. I'll tell Steve Father decided he couldn't have you in the house any longer, the things you were getting up to. Paul's girlfriend's back, by the way, if you're interested to know.'

`What—what girlfriend?' Ellis asked blankly, and Jan gave her an amused look.

`Oh, I thought you must have found out about her—she's been overseas for six months. They're being married next month. Well, I don't care—I have Steve,' she added viciously.

She dragged Ellis's suitcase on to the bed and opened it, then began to pile clothes into it any old how. Ellis watched her tremblingly for. a moment, then stepped forward.

`Don't, Jan. I'll pack up. That's—that's why I came back.'

`What?' Jan spun round. 'You came back? What do you mean?'

`I—I left here last night,' said Ellis. 'Leanne had to go to hospital in Melbourne, and Charlie took the plane over to the mainland in the afternoon. It—it wasn't right I should be here alone with Steve, so he took me in to the hotel in Whitemark.'

Jan stared and then began to laugh. 'Oh, Ellis ! You're incredible ! You mean you wouldn't stay here

alone with him? But wasn't it a bit late? I mean—I know Steve ! You're such a phoney it's unreal. Why not admit to what you've been up to? All those clothes —that watch—they're evidence.' She had laughed, but now the hatred and venom were back in her face and Ellis drew back. Jan was so cruel—so domineering. Oh, she had known there would be a shattering scene when she came, but not that it would be anything like this, she thought, surveying the shambles Jan had made of her room. Deep in her heart she wished she had stayed here last night—that somehow she had made Steve hers. Yet Steve would never belong to any woman

She stooped and began blindly gathering the things Jan had scattered round the room, folding them clumsily because her hands were shaking, and putting them carefully into the suitcase on the bed.

`Jan, no matter what you think, nothing's happened between me and Steve,' she said at last, in a choked voice. 'You—you're quite wrong.'

Jan flung herself into an armchair and watched Ellis through half-closed eyes.

`Nothing?' she sneered. 'You mean you haven't slept with him? He hasn't made love to you? I'm afraid I can't believe it—you wouldn't know how to hold such a man at bay till you'd made your own terms.'

`It's true all the same,' Ellis said almost inaudibly. Jan got up from the chair and gestured with a well kept hand.

`Now come on, Ellis—all these clothes—' She stopped and then exclaimed vehemently, `Oh, my God ! Now I've got it—of course ! Jake Armour ! He's loaded, isn't he? He bought you all this stuff in Hobart. Am I right?' Ellis nodded, and Jan said tauntingly, 'And you thought with this—this bait, you could hook a really big

fish, make Steve Gascoyne fall in love with you. But he didn't—'

Blindly, Ellis shook her head. Something inside her was dying, some tiny bud of hope that had been there until Jan came to take over. She blinked away tears and made herself look at Jan and ask, 'Will you—will Steve take you back? You—you quarrelled, didn't you?'

Jan flipped her fingers carelessly. 'We had a difference of opinion—and we've both been holding out for our own way. But we'll come to terms now I've taken the first step. Men are like that—they want the woman to, give in and then they can be generous in a lordly way. All the same, I've taught him a lesson and I think I'll get what I want.'

`Do you mean about living at Koolong, Jan?' Ellis asked hesitantly. 'I really don't think he wants to live there.'

Jan, who had paced across the room to the mirror to stare at her own beautiful reflection, spun round. 'What do you know about it, Ellis? Once we're married I'll twist him round my little finger. Any woman who understands what makes the male sex tick can manipulate a man who loves her.'

She sounded so very sure of herself, but Ellis asked, `How can you be so sure he loves you, Jan?'

Jan smiled a slow worldly smile. 'Ellis, when you've lain in a man's arms and made him as happy as a human being can be, you can tell if he loves you. Have you ever lain in your lover's arms after he's made love to you, Ellis?'

Ellis shook her head, embarrassed. 'No. And—and those things you said about Paul and me—you know they're not true.'

`Oh, who cares?' Jan said scornfully. 'I just want you to know I'm not short of ammunition if I should need

it. If you behave yourself I won't need it—so see you do behave, Ellis, that's all. Because I mean to have Steve and nothing on earth is going to stop me. Paul Howard's going to see how" little he meant to me.'

Ellis felt a shudder go through her. Jan was beautiful, but just now she looked so hard and calculating. She was a—cheat. The word flashed into Ellis's mind with a terrible clarity. Jan was one of those cheats that Steve hated—like the girl who transferred her affections to him because of Koolong. She said slowly but positively, 'Steve won't go back to Koolong, Jan. It reminds him too much of an unhappy love affair.'

Jan sat down on the end of the bed and smoothed back her dark hair. 'Ellis, I know all about that love affair, and it's just so ancient I'm not worried. He's the eldest son after all—Koolong is where he belongs and it's absurd that he should have been virtually banished by a girl like Patrice. His pride alone shouldn't allow it. His sons should be growing up at Koolong, not hers.'

Ellis listened without understanding. 'What—what do you mean, Jan? Who's Patrice?'

'Colin's wife, of course,' Jan explained. 'Didn't you know that? I heard the story years ago when I was holidaying with a school friend on their property in the Goulburn Valley. She's the girl Steve was going to marry—until he discovered she'd been sleeping with his brother. Colin's the one who should be here on Flinders Island—he was the one old Mr Gascoyne was making his heir, and when Patrice realised she'd be expected to live here if she married Colin, she switched her affections over to Steve—even before she'd met him. Then he found out she was pregnant, and like a fool he got out. He should have stayed put and be damned to them.'

Listening, Ellis felt appalled. So the girl Steve had

loved—the girl who had cheated him so cruelly—was now married to his brother and living at Koolong. Colin was the other man—the man Charlie hadn't named. Everything began to fall into place, and she felt a new and deep pain for Steve. To have been betrayed in that way by any girl was bad enough, but in those particular circumstances he must have felt terribly bitter. She began to understand why he suspected Leanne's love for Charlie and was putting it to such tests.

Jan said lightly, 'We'll live on Flinders for a time after we're married—but it won't be long before I've convinced Steve he's been less than a man in letting himself be driven out of Koolong. No man likes to be thought weak, you know—particularly not a man like Steve. He was young and impulsive then, I suppose, and he'll soon see it's time to go back and take over—for his children's sake. I just wouldn't have children, anyhow, if they had to be brought up here instead of at Koolong.'

Ellis felt repelled by her cousin's cunning, but she knew there was not a thing she could do about it. If she dared open her mouth, Jan would soon silence her by telling Steve some malicious and untrue story about Ellis and Paul Howard.

She told her cousin dully, as she packed the last of her things into her suitcase, 'I'm going back to Whitemark now, Jan. I have a hire car outside. I—I meant to take the plane today, but I missed it, and I'll have to wait till tomorrow. Shall I tell Martin you're here if he comes back to the hotel tonight?'

Jan walked to the door after Ellis, her silk skirt swishing. 'Yes, tell him I'm here. He's expecting me. Tell him I'm waiting to see Steve—that the situation is now as it was before I left the island. I shall probably stay here tonight, but I may come in to town with